Anthea Turner How I See It...
Hello,
If you’re a glass half full person I’m assuming you are looking forward to a great Jubilee weekend, soaking up the positive vibes rocketing around the country, reminding us that wherever we live, we are one big island and there’s nothing like a bit of flag waving to bring that out in us.
TEAM SPIRIT
Over the years I’ve met and interviewed many retired team sports stars. In fact this weekend I was with rugby legend Martin Offiah. When asked what he and other sports stars miss about their competitive past, it’s never kicking, throwing or catching a ball, but instead it’s the team, the camaraderie, the shared experiences.
You can probably relate to this in your own life. If I think of jobs I’ve done in the past – and there’ve been many – when I look back, with the exception of Blue Peter, it’s not the job itself I miss or that has made an impression on my life, but rather, it’s the people, the team.
I’m still in a Facebook group formed by the staff of a radio station we all helped launch back in 1983 – it was a unique shared experience which will bond us all together forever.
BECOMING ISOLATED
I realise that talking to people in the police, NHS, fire service, Armed Forces – as well as learning during my time on SASWhoDares Wins – that a tight knit team is not only integral to the success of the job but also their mental stability. When they leave it’s the fellowship they miss. Humans are not loners, by nature we are team players; it’s how our species has survived.
But are we in danger of losing our shared team spirit? Due to technology bringing lifestyle services to our front door we are slowly cutting ourselves off and under the guise of “prudence” we are seeing banks, police stations, churches, pubs, post offices, village shops all closing – further isolating us.
So I believe we need events like the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the Eurovision Song Contest, and international sporting events more than ever before because they to bond us together like nothing else and give us the excuse we so desperately need for a bit of high spirited flag waving to remind us we are a team and all connected.
Love, Anthea X